


Stay

by sgteam14283



Category: Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Couch Cuddles, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Platonic Cuddling, Pre-Relationship, Unresolved Romantic Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-01
Updated: 2019-03-01
Packaged: 2019-11-07 06:52:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,336
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17955665
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sgteam14283/pseuds/sgteam14283
Summary: For once Cousland didn't want to be alone.





	Stay

**Author's Note:**

> Final submission for Romance Month! This one was 'recovering from an injury' and I had a blast writing the different prompts over the past weeks. Shout-out to vorchagirl and everyone else who came up with the event, this was really fun to do!

Rose Cousland hated taking leave. 

She didn’t have any family left so holidays were just a painful reminder of that and she never wanted to go back to Highever. Plus her apartment was small enough that she couldn’t have many people over even if she wanted to.

So it took getting injured by darkspawn enough to land in the hospital and Warden HQ forcing her to take a week off for Rose to actually use some of her paid time off.

“You want me to stay?” Leliana asked as she opened the door to Rose’s apartment and stepped inside, flipping on the light and setting the stack of mail on the table. “It is no problem.”

“You don’t have to. Thanks though.” Rose replied, trailing behind her friend and already feeling winded from the short walk from the parking lot to her doorway. “I’m just going to crash on the couch.”

Leliana bit back the reply that she shouldn’t be alone so soon after getting discharged, knowing that Rose was still used to looking after herself. So instead she said, “Wynne said she’d look after Griffins until you’re back at work. And if you get hungry I left some sandwiches in the fridge.”

Gently sitting on the couch Rose couldn’t help but smile, the older mage had a soft spot for her mabari. “I’m sure he’s going to be spoiled by the time I get him back. And...thanks.” 

“You’re welcome.” Leliana busied herself with taking care of a few things that she knew Rose wouldn’t be able to do; making sure the sad looking plants were watered, putting dishes away, and placing the pain medicine and potions on the counter-writing out when Rose needed to take them and how many. By the time she was finished her phone had vibrated more than a few times, their friends wanting to know how Rose was doing and if they could stop by. 

Leliana glanced at her sleeping friend, her face pale and slightly drawn, and told them to hold off visits for a few days. But as she stepped out of the apartment texted Alistair, asking him to stop in and make sure his partner was alright.

\--  
Rose heard her apartment door open and reacted automatically, hand going for the knife under the pillow that wasn’t there and standing; hissing in pain from the sudden movement.

“Sorry, Leliana gave me a key.” Alistair said as he set the bag of groceries on the table and going to help Rose sit back down. “I called a few times but you didn’t pick up.”

“Lost my phone somewhere in Redcliffe, still have to get a new one.” Rose huffed while feeling her face heat up at Alistair’s solid hands helping her sit back down.

Alistair smiled at the statement but it quickly turned into a frown at how warm his partner felt. “When did you last take something?” he asked, his hand automatically going to feel her temperature. But he caught himself at the last second and pulled his hand back.

Rose caught the movement and gave a half-smile, “It’s okay, you can see how bad it is. And to answer you question...whenever Leliana was here.”

“So yesterday.” 

“I guess. I’ve just been sleeping.” 

Alistair hummed as he gently pressed the back of his hand against Rose’s forehead. She was running a slight fever, enough to make him want to stick around a little longer than planned. “You have anything in the fridge?”

“Leliana said there were some sandwiches.” Rose closed her eyes at her stomach clenching at the thought. Pressing her face against Alistair’s chest she let out a groan. “I don’t think I can eat right now.”

Alistair chuckled at the muffled reply and pressed a hand against Rose’s back. “You might feel better with something in your stomach. Do you think tea would be better?”

Rose didn’t want to move, she felt safe and warm like this-against Alistair’s sold wall of muscle. She’d been alone for so long, becoming partners with Alistair had been a breath of fresh air; for the first time since losing her family she didn’t dread waking up. But they were partners and she didn’t want to screw that up. 

“Mmm...maybe.” Swallowing hard she decided to take a chance, “Could-do you mind staying for awhile?”

“Ah-sure. Just let me put what I brought over away real quick. I know how Leliana’s cooking can be so I brought so heat-and-serve stuff. Why don’t you pick out a movie?” The request had caught Alistair off-balance, at first he wanted to blame the painkillers but he knew that they were pretty much out of her system. He wouldn’t deny there wasn’t an undercurrent of attraction; the way he caught her smiling at a joke he’d just said, how she brought him coffee most mornings, even how they fought-not needing to communicate most of the time, just effortlessly being right next to each other.

But they were partners, and Alistair didn’t want that to end. Even if there was a chance for something more.

“Okay.” Rose replied as she slowly pushed herself away from Alistair to get the remote while Alistair stood. Flipping through the movie guide, she decided on something that they could just mindlessly watch, and queued it up. 

“Need me to show you where mugs and stuff are?” 

Alistair stuck his head out of the kitchen and shook it, “I’ll find them.” 

Rose watched the young warden duck back into the kitchen, hearing cupboards open and close quickly. In what seemed like no time the kettle was whistling and a few minutes after that Alistair reappeared carrying a mug in each hand. “I wasn’t sure how you liked it so I left it plain. I can get sugar or whatever if you want.”

“I actually take it plain.” Rose smiled slightly as Alistair handed her a mug and was grateful for the smell of hot tea. “We can start the movie whenever.” 

“Sounds good.” Alistair wanted to take a sip from the mug but refrained, knowing that it was going to be too hot. So instead he set it on the glass end table and shifted so he was stretched comfortably across the couch. “Feel free to make me a human pillow. I’ve heard how squishy I am.” 

Rose focused on setting down her own mug, feeling her face heat up at the comment. Clearing her throat she shifted slightly from her spot, “If you don’t mind…”

“I wouldn’t have offered if I did. Besides, you can’t sit up the entire time. Not with your injury.”

Rose hesitated for a second before nodding. Laying against him, she found that he was the right kind of squishy, but she wasn’t going to let him know that. Starting the movie, Rose forced herself to focus on the screen in front of them and not how warm and comfortable Alistair was.

The end credits rolled and Alistair looked down to see Rose asleep, or nearly asleep. Moving so he didn’t disturb her, he placed a hand on her shoulder-gently moving his thumb up and down in a soothing motion. Slowly he reached with his free hand and turned the TV off, silence filled the apartment and Alistair gently set the remote back down on the coffee table. “ _If only she liked me more than just a partner._ ” he thought, letting a wistful smile appear on his face.

The silence roused Rose from whatever half-sleep she’d slipped into and it took a second for her to remember where she was. Sleepily yawning she felt Alistair start to move, but she didn’t want him to leave. “Please stay.” Rose mumbled, grabbing a fistful of shirt while burrowing her face against his chest again.

“Alright.” Alistair said as Rose settled back against him and relaxed on the couch, moving only to throw a blanket over Rose to make sure she wasn’t going to catch cold on top of being injured. “Anything for you love. Anything for you.”


End file.
